Tunisia's Trade Deficit Reaches New High in 2025
Trade Deficit Increases to 21,800.3 MTD, Up from 18,927.6 MTD in 2024
According to figures published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) on Monday, January 12, Tunisia's trade deficit has reached a new high, totaling 21,800.3 MTD in 2025, compared to 18,927.6 MTD in 2024. The coverage rate has slightly decreased to 74.5%, down from 76.6% last year.
Exports: Some Sectors Shine
Tunisian exports have totaled 63.7 MTD, representing a modest increase of 2.6% compared to 2024. This figure reflects a still somewhat unstable global economic context. However, some sectors have stood out:
- Mines, phosphates, and derivatives: +15%
- Mechanical and electrical industries: +8.7% On the other hand, some strategic sectors have struggled:
- Energy: -30%
- Agri-food: decline in olive oil sales
- Textiles: slight decrease
Geographical Distribution of Exports
The European Union remains Tunisia's main customer, accounting for 69.9% of exports. Top performers include:
- Germany: +10.7%
- France: +10.1%
- Netherlands: +3.2% However, some European partners have shown signs of fatigue:
- Italy: -9.5%
- Spain: -4.1% In the rest of the Arab world, Tunisia has posted strong performances:
- Morocco: +25%
- Algeria: +7.5%
- Egypt: +53.1%
- Libya: +0.7%
Imports: A Slight Increase
On the import side, foreign purchases have reached 85,495.4 MTD, up 5.5% year-over-year. All major product groups are affected:
- Capital goods: +14.4%
- Raw materials and semi-finished products: +6.8%
- Consumer goods: +11.7% Only certain energy and food products have experienced a slight decline.
Import Dynamics Vary by Supplier
The trend differs depending on the supplier:
- European Union: increase from France (+12.1%) and Germany (+11%), but decline from Greece (-36.4%) and Belgium (-17.1%).
- Outside the EU: strong increase from China (+20.2%) and Turkey (+14.8%), while imports from Russia (-22.3%) and India (-7.1%) have decreased.
